Dual nationality

E-Paper | June 16, 2026

IT is an emotional topic and has some roots in a narrow constitutional exclusion that the superior judiciary has interpreted as an absolute bar, but it is an issue that deserves closer examination. The law as interpreted by the Supreme Court bars the elected representatives of the people, in parliament, the provincial assemblies and the presidency, from holding dual nationality. While the law does permit Pakistani citizens to also be citizens of certain other countries, the weight of public and official opinion appears to have shifted against elected representatives holding citizenship of a second country. The general argument against the people’s representatives holding dual nationality is public perception and official suspicion. According to this, the honour of representing the people must only be afforded to someone with absolute and undivided loyalty to the country, while the nature of elected representation means that sometimes issues of national security have to be dealt with. Therefore, the elected representatives of the people of Pakistan must only hold citizenship of Pakistan.

Indeed, the general argument can be and is being extended to all public officials, elected or unelected, in legislative assemblies or anywhere else in the state apparatus. A re-think is needed. Against the emotive argument of perceptions of loyalty and the blanket suspicion of threats to national security can be set the real-world experience of the last decade of democracy. In what episode or incident over two full parliamentary terms can it categorically be stated that dual nationality would have impeded an elected representative from performing his or her duties? The vast majority of an elected representative’s responsibilities are public and open to scrutiny. Pakistan has a large diaspora and is integrated with much of the outside world. Dual nationals should not be demonised. If they seek to serve the people of Pakistan, they should be allowed to do so by the law, although an exception can be made in the case of cabinet ministers who are required to take an oath of secrecy.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2018

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Shahid

Jun 22, 2018 07:41am

Public servants in any capacity, civil, judiciary, military, bureaucracy and elected representatives in any capacity, must not be dual citizens. Period. Those who are dual citizens outside these categories have always served Pakistan well. Same cannot be said of those from the named categories and their close relatives who covertly have acquired dual citizenship for absolutely wrong reasons and against the Constitution. All one needs to do is audit values of their assets, declared and/or not. National security related reasons are besides this.

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Atif Khan

Jun 22, 2018 10:12am

Dual nationals are Pakistan’s true ambassador’s to the outside world. Thieir support is indespensable in getting Pakistan out of the isolation-hold it has ended up in...

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Manzer

Jun 22, 2018 11:02am

I agree with the editorial, for a member of assembly it should be a non-issue. Even for cabinet minister or PM, it is not n issue unless there is proof that they are acting in the interest of the other country. And one does not have to be dual national to turn into a traitor.

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Jalaluddin S. Hussain

Jun 22, 2018 11:26am

The following makes a lot of sense: "Pakistan has a large diaspora and is integrated with much of the outside world. Dual nationals should not be demonised. If they seek to serve the people of Pakistan, they should be allowed to do so by the law, although an exception can be made in the case of cabinet ministers who are required to take an oath of secrecy."

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MAK

Jun 22, 2018 11:51am

Dual nationals are ambitious,honest having hard earned living supporting their families as well as their country, whereas for our elite as well as menials virtues like corruption honesty etc are outmoded traits, things have become topsy-turvy , loyalty patriotism needs to redefined

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DIGGER DOWN UNDER

Jun 22, 2018 11:54am

I agree entirely with the editorial. This bogy of security in relation to dual nationals should be thrown out the window. Expat Pakistanis love Pakistan. The saying, you can take the boy out of the country but you cannot take the country out of the boy, is very true. Every effort should be made to attract expats. Take the example of China and Singapore. The governments of those countries offer all sorts of incentives to attract their expat citizens back. Why can't the government of Pakistan copy the policies of those two countries?

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Daanish

Jun 22, 2018 12:32pm

Dual citizens must not be trusted for public offices. If they are so interested in to represent they must give up citizen ship of their adopted countries. Lets see how much love they have for their motherland. Otherwise, no way they can be public office.

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A true faxt

Jun 22, 2018 04:19pm

We have witnessed first hand accounts of civil savants holding public offices and plundering and looting and taking illicit advantage of their positions and have categorically states that they aren’t afraid of accountability since these people have dual nationality and can flee the country whenever they want! They haven’t declared this to their departments and hence are only biding their time to make enough of plundered wealth and flee the country when the hammer of NAB is about to fall on them! And they actually take pride in this status of being untouchables! Public office should follow the example of the armed forces! No dual national can serve in the public office! The armed forces only takes pure patriots not half hearted patriots!

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GKA

Jun 22, 2018 06:03pm

We need to distinguish between Dual nationality and dual citizenship. Dual citizenship is about travel and commercial possibilities. Nationality is about culture and allegiance Very difficult to have Allegiances to two. Especially when those two nations could have hugely differing global agendas and opposite sides of the camp. USA and Pakistan are on opposite side Pakistan should know - it invented the two nation theory

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Najam

Jun 23, 2018 01:46am

Dual nationals CANNOT be allowed to hold any government position of any grade. How did all these bureaucrats get dual citizenship while working for Pakistan and settle their families abroad? How do they afford this? Its Pakistani tax payer money.

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JA-Australia

Jun 23, 2018 05:23am

As a dual national, I strongly support the Pakistan Judiciary's decision to exclude dual nationals from important office. Australia has similar laws barring dual nationals and a number of politicians have resigned voluntarily. People make choices throughout their life. If holding public office is important to someone, they should renounce their other nationalities.

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Liaqat Omer Canada

Jun 23, 2018 10:19am

I am dual national, my two sons are joined Canadian forces, our first and foremost interest is Canada, but our heart are also with Pakistan, never work against Pakistan, my own opinion are that no job in Govt, bcs dual citizen can not justify his previous nationality that Pakistan. If you living in Canada, than you work there not in Pakistan.

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Manzer

Jun 23, 2018 11:18am

@A true faxt -- You don't have to be a dual national to flee from the country. All you need is a visa, which people in high position can routinely get. I don't know whom you saw fleeing, but we have seen Musharraf, the Zardaris, Shaukat Aziz and others freely living in a foreign country, they didn't need any dual nationality. Should Pakistan also ban people in public service from obtaining any visa and traveling abroad? Such paranoia is not good for the country. By all means catch the criminals but we must refrain from subjecting the innocents to such blanket restriction.

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Jun 23, 2018 10:26pm

I myself holding dual natiionaliity, and that has been earned by living abroad for 35 years and helping my Pakistan every possible way. I think this subject needs to be redifined. In my opinion there are two different categories, the first is earning dual nationality by dedicating significant part of your life abroad and honest earning and helping Pakistan, the second is being in public offices in Pakistan and getting dual nationality for intention of escaping when caught for wrong doing- I think the later needs to be re assessed.

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Atif Khan

Jun 23, 2018 10:47pm

Sensible article. Taiwan’s mighty Silicon Fab industry too root when a dual-citizen (US/Taiwan) left his cushy job at TexasInstruments and helped get TSMC off the ground. Today, TSMC technology beats even Intel. There are plenty such examples I can go over, the bottom line is that Pakistan’s diaspora is a stronger asset than even its diplomatic service. Leverage it!

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